When in Doubt, Restart the Computer

" A reboot is like moving out from your house, doing a full clean, and moving back in." - a IT dept employee

A simple computer restart will fix the issue 90% of the time.

1. Computer feels slow?

One of the most common reasons to restart your computer is to clear the RAM cache. In simple terms, RAM provides temporary storage for applications and programs as they run. Unfortunately, as they run, some of this data begins to pile up even though it’s not being used. A restart can clear the RAM cache (unnecessary saved data) and have your computer back to work at full capacity.

2. Application Errors or Memory Leaks

A memory leak can occur, where a program doesn’t allow its unused memory to be overwritten. This can lead to slowness or programs not functioning properly. While a restart can’t fix the leak itself, it may clear the cache associated with it.

3. Internet Connectivity

Network connectivity is another common reason to restart your computer. This can refresh the network settings for your computer without completely resetting them.

4. Performance Issues

100% CPU usage? Is RAM full? Any idea what this means? Restart. Our computers are complex, and for the untrained individual, it could take hours to reach a solution. Restarting has the benefit of doing this for you. You may not know exactly what caused the issue, but there’s a good chance a restart will clear it up.

5. Updates

Your computer lives on patches and updates. Whether it’s security, usability, or otherwise, the most recent updates are paramount to your computer operating as expected and are most likely one the first things your IT department will look at when you bring a computer issue to them. Most of the time these updates download automatically but require a reboot to install. Recently downloaded updates are one of the most common reasons to restart your computer.